Should Spurs consider Sunderland’s Ndong as Diop alternative?

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Lyon are looking at Sunderland’s Didier Ndong as an alternative to Celta Vigo midfielder Pape Cheikh Diop so should Tottenham do the same?

Rene Krhin (R) of Granada CF competes for the ball with Pape Cheikh Diop (L) of RC Celta de Vigo.

Celta Vigo are resigned to the fact that Pape Cheikh Diop this summer with Lyon and Tottenham Hotspur competing for his signature, reports talkSPORT.

The 20-year-old was left out of the weekend’s La Liga match against Real Sociedad as his expected departure draws closer, with it thought to cost around £9m to sign the midfielder.

Mauricio Pochettino, manager of Tottenham Hotspur.

While Spurs are the favourites to land Diop, their French rivals have not given up hope and are working tirelessly to convince the Spain Under-19 international to move to Ligue 1.

French publication Maxi Foot reported that Lyon were considering Sunderland’s Didier Ndong as an alternative should they not land the Celta starlet, but if he does head to France should Tottenham do the same?

Ndong hardly enjoyed the greatest introduction to English football after a switch to the Stadium of Light from Lorient in the summer of 2016, getting relegated from the Premier League with the Black Cats that first season.

Didier Ndong of Sunderland and Callum Reilly of Bury in action during the Carabao Cup First Round.

In the Championship this term the 23-year-old has greatly impressed, though, and manager Simon Grayson told the Sunderland Echo the Gabon international has “unbelievable athleticism and work rate, and good quality on the ball too”.

The last time the North Londoners signed a player from a relegated club – Moussa Sissoko from Newcastle United in 2016 – it may not have worked out brilliantly, but there is a feeling that Ndong perhaps wasn’t given the time to prove himself in the English top flight and maybe deserves a second chance.